Improved potato-masher



supporter.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVM. BALL, OF PERU, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED POTATO-YMASHER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,382., dated December 13, 1864.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BALL, of Peru, in the county of Berkshire, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Veget'able-Masher; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of everything except the mash-tub and a portion of the ring- Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine with the follower in its highest position and moved to one side away from over the mash-tub. Fig. 3 is a cap which holds the pinion and followerrack in place. Fig. 4 is a top view of the supporting-ring andthe perforated plate in position thereon. Fig. 5 is a top View ofthe perforated plate.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists in the manner of supporting the follower and its actuating meclr anism, so that all can be turned to one side and away from over the mash-tub, to facilitate the introduction and removal of the vegetables to and from the same; also, in the manner of securing the mash-tub in position on its snpportingring.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will proceed to describe it.

a is a metal standard, provided at its lower end with a clamp-screw, t', by means of which the Inachine is secured to the edge of a table or other like place. bis another metal standard, terminating at its upper end in a horizontal arm, m, for supporting the follower and the pinion for operating the same, and swiveled at its lower end in the arm of the supporting-ring f, so that it can be turned to one side or away from over the mash-tub, to facilitate the operation of filling and emptying the same.

The follower is a metal disk-plate attached t-o the lower extremity of a bar, d, which is T-shaped in its cross-section, and provided on one side with cog-teeth, forming a rack, into which the pinion] gears, and serves, when r0- tated in one or the other direction by means of a winch on one end of its axle, to work the follower up or down.

The mash-tub, into which the vegetables are placed to be mashed, is made in two partsnamely, a hollow cylinder, e, and perforated metal plate g, which latter is made slightly dishing. The cylinder is provided at its lower end, at two diametrically opposite points, with lugs c, which, in conjunction with slots n, cut in the snpporting-ringf, form avfastening for the tub, and at the same time admit of its ready removal when it is to be emptied. The perforated metal plate g, which forms the bottom of the tub, is confined in position on the supporting-ring f by means of the cylinder resting at its lower edge on the outer edge of the plate.

By having the cylinder and bottom of the tub in separate parts, greater facility is afforded for cleansing them.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The standard b, terminating at its upper end in a horizontal arm, m, for supporting the follower by means of its rack and pinion, and swiveled at its lower end in the ring-supporter f, so as to be capable of being turned horizontally to one side, in combination with the said ring-supporter f and standard a, as herein described.

2. The cylinder or shell e, provided at its lower edge with lugs c, in combination with the slots n and supporting-ring f, in the manner and for the purpose specified.

A. L. CLARK, D. H. CLARK. 

